Broadway actors are preparing to exit the stage in a strike that would shutter more than 30 productions ahead of its peak season.

Actors' Equity, a union representing 900 performers and stage managers in New York's iconic theatre scene, said a walkout was on the cards due to a dispute over healthcare.

It's negotiating with the Broadway League, a trade body representing theatre owners, producers, and operators. A previous three-year contract expired earlier this week.

The union wants the league to increase its contribution to its healthcare fund, which is expected to fall into a deficit before next May. The rate of contributions has remained unchanged for more than a decade.

Actors' Equity president Brooke Shields said: "Asking our employers to care for our bodies, and to pay their fair

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